Did you know that tea all comes from the same plant?
There are 3 main Tea’s:
Oolong
Black
Green & White
The Camellia Sinensis plant is the magical plant with leaves that produces all of these different types of tea. The plants stem’s are even used to make twig tea–yet another form of tea. So if all these tea’s come from the same plant–how are they different? Well, it’s all in the process. Much like coffee all comes from the cocoa bean there are many different ways to grow it, mill it and serve it. This is the same case for tea.
One factor is when the leaf is picked. It has a different flavor in January than it would in say, June. However, the biggest difference between these teas is how they are processed. Green tea does not go through a fermenting process, this means that the chlorophyll stays in the leaves, leaving it…green. Seems like an easy naming process. Both Black and Oolong tea’s are fermented thus causing them to lose some very beneficial ingredients. Green tea being unfermented contains a higher content of antioxidants compared to other teas. If you are not sure what antioxidants are, listen to this.
Antioxidants are agents that bind together with harmful oxidants in your body. Harmful oxidants can enter your body through pollution, smoking, ultraviolet rays, and alcoholic beverages–we are surrounded by harmful oxidants on a daily basis. The “anti” oxidants stick to the harmful oxidants and fight it. They break down the dirty molecules your body doesn’t need and they help get rid of them or do repair work where needed.
All these good body deeds come from a plant leaf!
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